LAHORE:
Punjab has installed 15 modern stations to track pollution in its rivers, canals and drains, with water quality data sent to a central control room every hour. But while the system monitors the province’s waters, the data remains out of public reach.
According to official documents, the project launched by the Environment Protection Department was initially approved at an estimated cost of around Rs600 million. However, following a revision, its total cost was fixed at Rs2.97 billion in November 2024.
The project covers major rivers, canal networks, drains used for wastewater disposal and other important surface water bodies across Punjab. The Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum and Sutlej rivers have been prioritised for monitoring.
Officials said the stations were equipped with instruments to measure different water quality parameters, assess water flow, store data and transmit information to a central system. The data is sent to the Environmental Protection Department’s central control room, allowing changes in water quality and pollution levels to be identified in a timely manner.
Abdullah Nayyar Sheikh, Director of the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency, said the primary objective was to continuously monitor pollution in rivers and other surface water bodies, identify sources of contamination and provide timely information to support the enforcement of environmental laws.
The project was launched under the Punjab Green Development Programme with support from the World Bank. The initial target was to make all 15 monitoring stations operational by May 2025. However, delays led to a subsequent revision of the project timeline.
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ohail Naqvi, Director of Water Affairs at WWF-Pakistan, welcomed the installation of monitoring systems in rivers and at other locations across the province.
He said advanced monitoring systems were already being used in developed countries, where sensors provided timely information about water quality and pollution levels. Such data helped policymakers and planners formulate effective policies for treating industrial and other wastewater and controlling pollution.
However, Naqvi proposed that the government provide the public with direct access to all data collected through the monitoring system. He said that, just as smog and air quality levels were made public, water quality data from different locations should also be released.
He suggested that information from locations such as Trimmu Headworks, the BRB Canal and entry and exit points around Lahore should be made publicly available. The data should include water quality, the presence of heavy metals and organic waste, and changes in water conditions following rainfall.
Naqvi believed transparent public access to the information could make the initiative an important step towards water conservation and environmental improvement.
Dr Muhammad Yaseen, Assistant Professor at the University of Punjab’s Centre for Integrated Mountain Research, said installing monitoring systems at the entry and exit points of rivers, drains and canals would enable continuous tracking of changes in water quality.
He said the system would help determine pollution levels at specific locations and establish how water quality changed as it passed through different areas. This would help authorities identify pollution sources, monitor the discharge of contaminated industrial and sewage water, and take effective measures to improve water quality.
Noor Ahmad, Director of Environmental Monitoring System (EMS), said 15 monitoring stations had so far been installed at Siphon on the River Ravi, downstream of Hudiara Drain and at all headworks.
He said data collected by the stations was being checked, while the imported monitoring systems were being adapted to local rivers, drains and headworks to ensure compatibility with local conditions.
Ahmad added that the data would begin appearing on the central dashboard after a third-party declaration.
While the 15 stations mark progress in monitoring water pollution, experts say public access to the data is essential for transparency, accountability and effective action against contamination.
